Cathy Mills, School Based Health Coordinator at Shawnee Health Center and Leah Smothers, Floss and Gloss Program Manager at Purchase District Health Department – Guest Contributors   Poor oral health is something that most people never consider as they think of their overall health, when in fact it can be detrimental to all aspects of their lives. This is especially true for children. Lack of oral health care can affect the life of a child in [...]

May is National Foster Care Awareness Month, a time to acknowledge the 463,000 children and youth nationally in foster care and the family members, foster parents, volunteers, mentors, child welfare professionals, and policymakers who help them find permanent homes and connections. It is also a time to join forces and renew our commitment to ensuring a bright future for the over 8,800 Kentucky children in Out of Home Care (OOHC). Kentucky’s youth in foster care are a [...]

As we begin a new month and look forward to summer, KOHC is taking time to celebrate National Dental Care Month in May. This month-long celebration is a chance to build awareness about the importance of preventive dental care for individuals of all ages. The past two years have brought many changes in routine that affect dental care practices and oral health professionals are starting to see the impacts of these changes – including increased [...]

The Kentucky Oral Health Coalition (KOHC) is a statewide coalition of over 450 members and oral health stakeholders from every region of the Commonwealth. Membership includes dentists, dental hygienists, health professionals, family resource center coordinators, universities, managed care companies, business corporations, government entities, teachers, parents, educators, social workers, public health departments, community health advocates and many others. On behalf of  KOHC, we are writing this letter in response to the proposed regulation 201 KAR 8:600 [...]

Announcement from the Board of Dentistry on the COVID-19 State of Emergency ending: On March 22, 2022, the General Assembly approved final passage of SJR 150, which officially ended the COVID-related state of emergency in Kentucky. While licensees may return to practicing under pre-pandemic conditions, they can and should use their professional judgement to continue with any COVID protocols they deem appropriate for their unique staff and patient environment. The passage of SJR 150 also marks the end of the Board's [...]

As the Kentucky 2022 General Assembly comes to a close, KOHC reflects on policy and budget wins from the legislative session and missed opportunities. Throughout the session, Kentuckians called on lawmakers to prioritize their health and wellbeing – including policies that are good for oral health. One of the core functions of the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition is advocating for policies and budget priorities that are good for oral health in Kentucky. KOHC supports the health and [...]

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, an important time to remember that everyone has a role to play in keeping communities safe for kids to grow and thrive. Oral health professionals are in a unique position to recognize and report signs of abuse and neglect as it is estimated that nearly 50% of injuries occur on the head and neck. During April, KOHC continues our work with Delta Dental of Kentucky and the Face It Movement to recognize Child Abuse [...]

Earlier this month, Congress made a commitment to the nation's most vulnerable children by investing in school-based health services. Signed into federal law on Tuesday March 15, the 2022 Omnibus Appropriations package includes $30 million for school-based health centers. This is a $25 million increase from fiscal year 2021, which will allow for more services to be provided and is a tremendous win for children and families across the U.S. In addition, the U.S. Health [...]

Kentucky Oral Health Coalition members and oral health stakeholders from across the state convened virtually for the first KOHC quarterly meeting of 2022 on Friday, March 25. We kicked off the meeting with a welcome from our steering committee chair, Dr. Stephanie Poynter. Alicia Whatley, Policy and Advocacy Analyst at Kentucky Youth Advocates (KYA), presented updates on KOHC policy and budget priorities in the 2022 session, highlighting the status of KOHC agenda items and other relevant [...]

Announcement from the Board of Dentistry on the COVID-19 State of Emergency ending:On March 22, 2022, the General Assembly approved final passage of SJR 150, which officially ended the COVID-related state of emergency in Kentucky. While licensees may return to practicing under pre-pandemic conditions, they can and should use their professional judgement to continue with any COVID protocols they deem appropriate for their unique staff and patient environment.The passage of SJR 150 also marks the end of the Board's suspension of 201 KAR [...]